FEB
2015

ISSUE
No. 2

HABITAT HAPPENINGS

Feb. 19, 2015
The Plain Dealer Features Fully Rehabbed
100-Year-Old Habitat Home Project

Habitat for Humanity overcomes big challenges when renovating Slavic Village home for family

by Julie Washington, The Plain Dealer

READ THE ARTICLE

2015 Affordable Housing Initiative Kicks Off with First House

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Antonio, Dorethea and their children Daveone, Ardell, Ariel and Anton look forward to moving into their new home soon. Our deepest thanks to all our partners on the first house! Thrivent Financial, the Lutheran Churches of Greater Cleveland, and all of the volunteers who make this possible.

Cleveland Habitat Builds Upon Revitalization Program
in Two New Neighborhoods for 2015

Cleveland Habitat launched it 2015 Affordable Housing Initiative with a gathering on February 11 at its first house in the Circle North neighborhood (immediately north of University Circle).

This neighborhood has received significant investment from other institutions. A key aspiration of this initiative is to preserve affordable housing in this gentrified area for lower-income families and thus preserve economic diversity. Cleveland Habitat is partnering with Famicos Foundation to fully rehab at least five houses this year.

In the Stockyards, Clark- Fulton & Brooklyn Community we will rehab at least five additional homes in this largely-Hispanic neighborhood. In addition to rehabbing homes for new owners, we will assist current homeowners with improvements to their properties.

If you are interested in fully or partially sponsoring a house, please contact Kim Pride at [email protected] or call (216) 325-5578.

ReStore News
Eastside Location Begins Preparation for Grand Opening in April

2nd ReStore prepares to open for business in April at 4601 Northfield Road
in North Randall.

We continue to prepare the new eastside ReStore location for its grand opening in April.

Watch for updates next month when we will post pictures of the progress on the inside as we transform this formerly Unique Thrift store into the familiar blue and green Habitat ReStore you know and love.

Your donations are changing lives in Cleveland! Please continue to donate your appliances, furniture, household goods, cabinets, tools and more and support affordable housing in Cleveland.

DONATION HOTLINE (216) 429-3631

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

When Habitat takes ownership of abandoned homes, there is no telling what kind of shape we will find them in. One thing for sure is the homes usually have "good bones," and if we are really lucky, even some architectural treasures like the hard wood floors and ornate door knobs shown in the pictures at right.

These pictures of the kitchen and living rooms were taken at the Thrivent Financial ground breaking ceremony home on Orville Avenue this month. Stay tuned as we document the transformation of this home as we bring it back to life. The big reveal pictures later this summer will knock your socks off!

PARTNER FAMILY NEWS
Burundi Refugees Find New Roots in Refurbished Habitat Home

The famous Habitat porch shot from the Rugahura Home Dedication on February 7, 2015.

When Benjamin Rugahura arrived in the United States in 2007 with his wife, children, and grandchildren, he was just grateful to be out of a refugee camp in Burundi, Africa. He and his wife quickly found jobs. And then they found Cleveland Habitat.

The Rugahura family of six worked with Cleveland Habitat over the last twelve months to meet all of the requirements in the home ownership process and accepted the keys to their four bedroom, two bathroom home on White Avenue on February 7th.

"This family exemplifies the spirit of Habitat home ownership and the American dream of success," said John Habat, executive director of Cleveland Habitat. "They were overjoyed at the thought of being able to own their own home. They fulfilled their required sweat equity as a family, putting in 250 hours of work on the home itself, attending financial management classes and home ownership workshops."

VOLUNTEER NEWS

Baldwin Wallace volunteers get muddy on Clement Ave

Last year, more than 2,000 persons volunteered over 60,000 hours to help 51 families in three different Cleveland neighborhoods: Slavic Village, Fairfax and Lower Kinsman.

While individual volunteers are a large segment of our volunteer base, increasingly churches, businesses and others bring groups to volunteer for a day or longer. We welcome this influx of volunteers, because families applying for housing are at record levels.

We also offer opportunities to many volunteers to build new lives who come to Habitat from a variety of different places and life transitions. Last year, 189 persons received 23,317 hours of job training and work-place experience at Cleveland Habitat.

Interested in joining a construction team with Habitat or working in the ReStore? We want you! Email Karen Fishbaugh-Cummings, Volunteer Programs Manager or call (216) 429-1299 ext. 235 today.

FEBRUARY and MARCH VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS
Saturday, Feb 21 at 11am AND Saturday, March 28 at 11am Sign up Online!

SAVE THE DATE!

Saturday, May 30th Habitat will be hosting the 14th Annual Walk.

Join Habitat at Edgewater Park for a 5K walk. The fun begins at 9:30. All funds raised will support building homes for local families.

Details coming soon!

Interested in helping with the event? Contact Kim at [email protected] or call (216) 429-1299, ext 226.

Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity
2110 W. 110th Street | Cleveland, Ohio 44102
Tel (216) 429-1299 | [email protected]
www.clevelandhabitat.org

ReStore
WESTSIDE
2110 W. 110th Street | Cleveland, OH 44102
OPEN Tues-Sat 10am-4pm
MAP IT

EASTSIDE (Opening April 2015!)
4601 Northfield Rd., North Randall, OH 44128
MAP IT

ReStore (216) 429-3631